1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to retaining belts. More particularly, the invention relates to retaining belts which include a flexible or elastic strap and a buckle for securing the free ends of the strap in an overlapping position. Specifically, the invention relates to a belt in which the strap and buckle operatively engage one another to evenly distribute forces acting on the belt across a large surface area.
2. Background Information
Since the early ages of man, belts have included a flexible strap and a buckle of some type for retaining the ends of the strap in an overlapping position and have been used in a variety of situations. The use for belts of this type are quite varied and range from securing loads to trucks and trailers to securing a pair of pants to a user.
Great effort has been made over the years to make the appearance of these belts more pleasing and to strengthening these belts without compromising flexibility or aesthetics. While existing belts may take a variety of sizes and configurations, as a general rule, these belts include a flexible strap having a plurality of holes at one end, and a buckle attached to the other end which includes a catch for extending through one of the holes in the flexible strap. The strap is passed through the buckle, and the catch is moved into engagement with one or more of the holes. In this manner, the belt ends are effectively latched against movement relative to each other. While this type of belt is presumably adequate for the purpose for which it is intended, its operation and design include a number of drawbacks.
Specifically, existing belts require the user to exercise significant finger dexterity when moving the catch into an associated hole. This can be difficult for children, elderly persons, and persons suffering from arthritis or poor eye sight. Yet another problem associated with existing belts is that they are not capable of continuous adjustment as the catch is placed in discretely positioned holes along the belt's length. The lack of continuous adjustment along the belt's length often prevents the belt from effectively securing the load. When the catch is positioned in one hole the belt may be too loose, and when positioned in an adjacent hole, the belt may be too tight.
Moreover, the force holding the belt in the latched position is generally concentrated at a point or at best, along a line. Specifically, the strap is generally folded back upon itself encircling a portion of the buckle such that when force acts against the buckle it acts along the line between the strap and buckle. When the buckle is in the latched position such that the catch extends through an associated hole in the strap, forces in the strap are concentrated at the point of contact between the catch and the strap surrounding the hole through which the catch is placed. This point load may be reduced by increasing the number of catches extending through the strap, with the result being merely that the load has been transmitted to a number of points along the width of the strap rather than a single point.
Inasmuch as forces acting on the strap act at a single point, or at best along a line, the strap in these specific areas degrades faster than the remaining portion of the strap significantly increasing replacement costs. As a result, the strap, and specifically that portion of the strap adjacent the buckle, is manufactured of thicker, more durable materials. The use of such materials substantially increase the cost of manufacturing belts of this type. Moreover, if the belt is to be used in a restricted area, the thicker, more durable material is more burdensome to accommodate and more difficult to use. Similarly, thicker, more durable strapping material is less flexible, and as a result, is more difficult to use.
While thicker, more durable materials partially solve the above referenced problems associated with holding forces on straps adjacent buckles, large loads acting in these areas continue to reduce the life span of existing belts. Moreover, as the strap degrades adjacent the buckle, the strength of the belt may be compromised creating an unsafe condition, especially when the belt is utilized to hold mobile loads in position. Still further, deformed strapping material adjacent the belt may be unsightly, especially when used as wearing apparel. Similarly, thicker more durable material, while reducing the possibility of strapping material deformation, may be considered equally unsightly.
Therefore, the need exists for a belt which can easily be manipulated by persons having reduced dexterity, and which substantially eliminates strapping material degradation adjacent the buckle by evenly distributing holding forces over a large surface to reduce belt wear and prevent belt damage.